Storage battery terminal clamps



Feb. 21,- 1956 R. E. ZAK

STORAGE BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMPS Filed Dec. l2, 1952 .K MA TZ N E. VE WTR E B O D BYII,X'0

AT aen/fn United States Patenty STORAGE BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMPS RobertE. Zak, Forest Park, Ill. Application December 12, 1952, Serial No.325,578 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-238) My invention relates to terminal clampsand more particularly to storage battery terminal clamps.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for quickly releasingthe terminal clamp on the post of a storage battery.

Another object of my invention is to provide a means for clamping andreleasing the cable terminal of the storage battery in its relation tothe contact post of a storage battery.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a clamping means thatfits the conventional cable terminal without any mechanical changes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple device that iseasy to manipulate, yet highly etlicient for the purpose for which it isintended.

It is manifest to anyone familiar with storage batteries employed as asource of electric current for the ignition system of automotivevehicles, that the cable terminal needs to be clamped securely onto thecontact posts of the battery, to insure perfect contact. The usualmethod employed is to insert a threaded bolt through the wings of theterminal which necessitates the use of a pair of wrenches to securelyfasten the nut portion to the bolt. Obviously, it is just as necessaryto use a pair of wrenches when disconnecting the cable terminal from thepost, and inasmuch as it is sometimes quite necessary and imperative todisconnect the terminal quickly when a short circuit occurs in thewiring system of the vehicle, it is the prime object of my invention toprovide a simple, inexpensive and easily actuated means to make itpossible to quickly disconnect the cable terminal from the post of thebattery without the use of tools.

Other and further advantages of the invention will become manifest asthe description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the drawing inwhich Figure l is a top or plan view of the top of the storage batteryshown in phantom with a terminal surrounding one of the posts, andshowing the quick operating clamp arrangement in a locked position.

Figure 2 is a top view of the cable terminal surrounding the batterypost, in a clamped position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the clampingarrangement, showing the position of the washer in its contact with theterminal and the clamping bolt, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the assembled clamping device.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and referring now to the same, the character shows astorage battery equipped with positive and negative posts indicated bythe character 11. The cable 12 is shown equipped with a split terminalbody 13 of the conventional type which has wing portions 14 and 14extending outward therefrom, these wing portions are provided withtransverse apertures, and a clamping portion 15 forming a part of theterminal body is attached to the cable 12.

The device constituting my invention consists of a lever member, havinga straight shank portion 16, integrally formed with a handle portion 17,bent at right angles to form an arcuate bend. The shank portion 16 isthreaded at 18, and the handle portion 17 may be covered with anon-conducting material shown as 19.

There is a washer 20 disposed over the shank 16 adjacent to the threadednut 21, and a separate circular clamping washer 22 engages the shank 16of a diameter greater than the distance between the circular body 13 andthe outer end of the wing section 14 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and3.

By referring to Figure 3, the clamping action of the device is clearlyportrayed. The shank portion 16 replaces the conventional bolt and nutassembly that clamps the two wing portions 14 and 14 forming a part ofthe terminal 13, shank portion 16 being inserted through the aperturesin the wings 14 and 14 of the terminal 13. As clearly shown in Figure 3,when the handle 17 is rotated in a clamping direction, the arcuateportion 23 at the juncture of the shank 16 and handle 17 will engage anedge portion of the hole in the washer thereby causing the washer tomove into an angular position so that the washer 22 will contact theouter end of the wing 14 as at 25 and also form contact with theterminal body 13 and the shank 16 as at 24 and 24'. This will cause thewings 14 and 14 of the terminal 13 to make rigid contact with the post11 of the storage battery.

By lifting the handle 17 as shown in phantom in Figure 2 it will permitthe wings 14 and 14' to spread apart from one another, and disengagefrom the post 11. Revolving the shank 16 one half of a revolution willpermit the washer 22 to disengage from its contact at 24 and 25permitting it to loosely engage shank 16 and making it easier to revolvethe nut 21, and permitting the terminal 13 to be lifted upward out ofengagement with the tapered outer peripheral surface of the post 11.There is sufficient friction between the washer 20 and the nut 21 tohold the nut from rotating upon rotation of the shank 16, but in case ofcorrosion of the terminal and particularly between the nut and shank, asingle wrench may be employed to hold the nut 21 against rotation whenthe handle is actuated. It is therefore obvious that the half turn ofthe shank 16 by means of the handle 17 Will make it possible todisconnect the electrical circuit Which is the purpose of my invention.

Although I have shown a specific structure and an arrangement of thecomponent parts constituting the device, I am fully cognizant of thefact that changes may be made in the form of coniiguration of thecomponent parts Without affecting their operativeness and withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention orr the scope cf the appendedclaim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent in the United States is:

A clamping device to be used in combination with a conventional batterycable terminal which consists of a split circular body having a pair ofwing sections projecting outwardly therefrom, said wing sections beingprovided With transverse apertures and said wing sections being offsetinwardly of the circular body; said clamping device comprising a rodhaving a right angularly disposed handle and shank and having an arcuateportion between said handle and shank, said shank having a Washerthereon of a diameter greater than the distance between said circularbody and the outer end of the next adjacent Wing section, said shankbeing extended through the transverse apertures of said wing sections,said shank being threaded, a washer on said shank positioned adjacentthe other of said wing sections and a nut on said shank for drawing saidrst named washer into forcible engagement with the circular outersurface of saidnterminal body` and the-l outer end of the nextadjacentjnwardly oset t. Wing section, said, arcuate portion betweensaid handle and shank causing angular contacting engagement with thecircular body and said next adjacent Wing section;

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ThomasMay 2, Fisher Ian. 13, Casey Jan. 3, Rieg May 4,

